Garbage | R-Ranch at the Lake

Dear R-Ranch Community,

We’re making important changes to our garbage and recycling system to significantly reduce costs and improve operational efficiency. Currently, the Ranch spends between $70,000 and $80,000 annually on garbage services—and those costs continue to rise. Under our current system, we’re charged $102.60 per bin per service (almost double if the lid doesn’t close), plus monthly rental fees for the bins from Berryessa Garbage.

To reduce costs, the Ranch is hauling our own sorted waste to the appropriate facilities, approximately every three weeks (adjusted based on owner traffic). By switching to a system that charges $74 per ton, we’ll pay based on weight instead of per bin—allowing us to save an estimated $50,000 per year.

However, for this cost-saving measure to succeed, owner participation and proper waste sorting is essential. When everyone participates, we estimate an additional $10,000–$15,000 in annual savings. Here’s a snapshot of the larger percentages of what typical garbage is made up of.

Cardboard and paper: 23%
Food waste: 21.6%
Plastic bottles, glass bottles, and cans: 25%

Since we’ll now be charged by the ton, the lighter our garbage, the lower our costs.

New Sorting Categories & Drop-Off Points

To support this system, we’ve updated our waste categories to match our capabilities:

Bottles & Cans Recycling

Aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and glass bottles only (empty and free of liquids).
Please dump these loose—not in bags.
No paper, cardboard, or other items.

Compost

Strictly food waste only.
No paper plates, cups, napkins, or compostable packaging—these tend to blow away and disrupt the process, and take longer to break down. Cardboard Recycling

For cardboard only.

Garbage (General Waste)

plastics, bags, styrofoam, food containers, toiletry containers all waste that is not valuable or can't be reused.

Sorting Bins for Campsites and Drop-Off Locations

The Ranch will provide small sorting bins for use at your campsites at designated pick-up/drop-off locations near Bathhouse 6 and the Teen Center.

Sorting bins for recycling and compost drop-off will be located at:

All bathhouses
The Upper Loop, Southhouse, and Meadows

Bins for garbage and cardboard will be located near the propane fill station.

Important Reminders

Please educate your children and guests on not just the Garbage system but on all of the ranches' most important rules, speeding, wristbands, parking, dogs off leash etc.
Be considerate, staff has more important things to do than dig through your garbage all day. Putting things where they don't go wastes R-Staffs time we can't do are jobs when we spend all our time on one task. Fines will be initiated if people continue to ignore our efforts and work against us.
Please take a second to read the signs, things have changed! Everything is labeled for your convenience. If it is not labeled do not put your garbage bags, recyclables or compost in it.
Do not put garbage inside bath house garbage cans.
Do not put Garbage in the sorting bins at bath houses, please take your bags of garbage and cardboard to the correct dumpsters near the propane fill station by the riding arena.
Do NOT dispose of large or personal items such as appliances, tires, mattresses, batteries, trailer furniture, or awnings. These items cost the Ranch extra to dispose of and affect your annual assessments.
Pack it in, pack it out.
We will accept scrap metal—please speak with staff for drop-off instructions.

How This Benefits the Ranch

Compost will be reused to grow food and build soil health.
Recyclables and scrap metal will pay for themselves, and are too heavy to put in our garbage dumpsters.
Most importantly, this new system helps ensure that your dues are used more efficiently, benefiting the entire community.

We understand that not everyone may be passionate about recycling, but this initiative is ultimately about saving money and keeping assessments in check. Every small action helps.

Thank you for your support and cooperation as we roll out these changes.

Warm regards,

R-Ranch Management